Making paneer at home is an easy and fun thing to do. Paneer can be used to make Indian dishes like Matar paneer, Shahi paneer, Palak paneer etc. You can spice up your paneer with herbs and spices. to make it more appealing to your eyes. The spiced up paneer can be used only to make curries and pulavs but not to make sweets like Rasgulla or Ras malai.
The process of making paneer can be done by curdling the milk and straining it. You can make a big batch of paneer and freeze it for future use. It can be easily stored in the freezer for about 6 months.
The process of making paneer can be done by curdling the milk and straining it. You can make a big batch of paneer and freeze it for future use. It can be easily stored in the freezer for about 6 months.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon of whole milk.
2-3 tbsp of white vinegar.
1 bowl of ice cubes or ice cold water.
Spices & Herbs
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp red chili flakes.
1/2 gallon of whole milk.
2-3 tbsp of white vinegar.
1 bowl of ice cubes or ice cold water.
Spices & Herbs
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp red chili flakes.
Preparation
Take a colander and line it with a cheese cloth. Now place the colander in a vessel and keep this aside.
Take another vessel and invert it in a larger plate Keep this also aside.
We are going to use these to drain the paneer.
Take a colander and line it with a cheese cloth. Now place the colander in a vessel and keep this aside.
Take another vessel and invert it in a larger plate Keep this also aside.
We are going to use these to drain the paneer.
|
|
Curdling the Milk
Boil the milk on medium heat. Add the spices and herbs. If you prefer to make plain paneer, do not add any spices. Continue boiling. Stir in between so that the milk won't stick to the bottom of the vessel. When the milk starts boiling, add 2 tbsp of white vinegar. If it is not enough add 1 more tbsp of vinegar. Stir it just once to mix vinegar with milk. You will notice that the milk starts curdling. When you see the clear water separating from milk, immediately switch off the flame and add the cold water or ice cubes. Leave it just for a minute and drain the water.
Draining
Pour the curdled milk into the colander which is lined with cheese cloth and placed on a vessel. All the water which is also called Whey will be collected in the bottom container. Now hold the four sides of cheese cloth and squeeze out the liquid. Open the cheese cloth and press slightly with a ladle to make the surface flat. Cover the cheese cloth nicely and put it on the other inverted vessel which was placed in a plate. Now put some weight on it so the excess water will drip out from paneer. I placed my rolling stone and a heavy jar. But you can use your own way. Leave it for about 2 hours to drain the excess water.
After 2 hours, remove the weight and take the paneer out of cheese cloth and put the paneer on a cutting board. Cut the paneer into your desired shapes. The ideal shape is small cubes.
Yoy may also like to see
Boil the milk on medium heat. Add the spices and herbs. If you prefer to make plain paneer, do not add any spices. Continue boiling. Stir in between so that the milk won't stick to the bottom of the vessel. When the milk starts boiling, add 2 tbsp of white vinegar. If it is not enough add 1 more tbsp of vinegar. Stir it just once to mix vinegar with milk. You will notice that the milk starts curdling. When you see the clear water separating from milk, immediately switch off the flame and add the cold water or ice cubes. Leave it just for a minute and drain the water.
Draining
Pour the curdled milk into the colander which is lined with cheese cloth and placed on a vessel. All the water which is also called Whey will be collected in the bottom container. Now hold the four sides of cheese cloth and squeeze out the liquid. Open the cheese cloth and press slightly with a ladle to make the surface flat. Cover the cheese cloth nicely and put it on the other inverted vessel which was placed in a plate. Now put some weight on it so the excess water will drip out from paneer. I placed my rolling stone and a heavy jar. But you can use your own way. Leave it for about 2 hours to drain the excess water.
After 2 hours, remove the weight and take the paneer out of cheese cloth and put the paneer on a cutting board. Cut the paneer into your desired shapes. The ideal shape is small cubes.
Yoy may also like to see
Homemade butter
|
Matar paneer
|
Homemade probiotic yogurt
|
Amaranth paneer
|
Homemade ghee
|